I Need a Hero
by WafflesandCoffee
Summary: TASM Ever wished you had a hero that always was there to catch you when you fall? Spider-man was Zoe Anderson's hero, but little did she know, she was Peter Parker's hero. Peter Parker-Spiderman/OC
1. Prologue

**I Need a Hero**

**A/N: I'm going to loosely base the death of Gwen Stacy on the comics, but instead of Green Goblin being the villain, I'm going to base it on the movie verse and say it was the Lizard.**

**Prologue**

**Zoe's POV**

"Watch it loser!"

Ah, yes the three words that started and ended my day oh-so-perfectly.

A hard shove and a very clumsy Zoe Anderson (moi) came crashing down onto Midtown Science High School's hard and dirty linoleum floor. My glasses fell off of my porcelain face. My hazel eyes widened in shock before my tangled, dark black hair covered my eyes. My baggy sweatshirt and jeans hung to my body for a second, before becoming baggy again.

"Move, loser," Flash Thompson sneered at the nerd. Or was I a geek? Or a nerd? Whatever the lonelier and more pathetic matched my persona perfectly.

"Sorry Flash," I mumbled.

"Did I give you permission to talk me to, nerd?" He questioned, taking steps forward, invading my personal space. I backed up and flinched as I backed into a set of lockets. A crowd began to form around us.

"N-no," I stuttered.

Flash smirked before slamming his hands both to the sides of me. I screamed and cowered, covering my face with my books. He leaned forward and whispered, "Nerd." Then he wrapped his meaty hands around my throat. I gasped a deep breathe, before he slammed my head into a locker.

Flash turned and saw a figure weaving its way into the crowd. He grinned. "Hey Parker, take a picture of this!"  
"Flash, just leave her alone," the voice called. I finally looked up and saw a messy haired brunette with a camera in his hands. I realized he was Peter Parker, the school's photographer. He seemed out of place in the crowd of teenagers. His warm brown eyes locked with my hazel ones, making me feel a weird mixture of euphoria and warmth.

"Yeah, Parker? And who's going to make me? Your girlfriend Gwen?" Flash taunted.

I winced as Peter's eyes darkened. Everyone knew not to mention Gwen Stacy around Peter Parker, unless you wanted to die. A few months ago, the Lizard was terrorizing the city (as usual) and had Gwen captive. When the Lizard dropped Gwen, Spider-man shot a web to cushion her fall. Good new; she landed in the net. Bad news; the impact was too strong at the rate she was falling and immediate interruption (the web) snapped her neck. She died on impact. Whilst everyone mourned for her death, Peter didn't attend the funeral, nor school for a full month. Spider-man also mourned for her death. He didn't fight crime for two full months. And as the effect, the crime rate in New York raised fifty percent. It wasn't after the mayor and governor both pleaded for him to come back, that he returned. He did, but his performance was lackluster. Probably the threats he still got from some citizens. Many still blame Spider-man for the death of Gwen Stacy. I don't, but I think he does too.

"Flash, just leave her alone," Peter quietly stated, walking away.

Flash smirked before increasing the grip on my throat. I started to see black spots as I gasped involuntarily for air.

"P-please," I moaned. Didn't Flash have any humanity? My lack of oxygen was severely increasing as my body went slack. One more second and I'd be dead—

A swift move and I couldn't feel Flash's meaty hands around my throat, constricting my air supply.

I slumped to the ground and watched as Peter slammed Flash into a nearby locker.

"Cut it out Flash," Peter said; his voice razor sharp. "Do you think this is cool? Terrorizing random classmates until they break? Do you think it is fun to see a girl whimper and coward when you stalk towards them? What would Gwen say?" Peter released Flash and calmly walked off, leaving everyone staring at him. As Flash removed him from the lockers, a huge dent was carved into the metal. I held back a chuckle. Peter looked stronger than he was. Flash glared at everyone before disappearing down the hall. I picked myself up and continued my journey outside the school. I ran home to gather my materials for ballet class. I only joined ballet for three reasons: one, I've been doing ballet since I was three. Two, ballerinas were graceful and I wanted to be graceful. Three, my mom would be proud of me.

Speaking of my mom, she left a note on the fridge.

_'Late hours at work. Make yourself a salad; don't wait up.'_

I sighed. Of course. My mom recently got a job at OSCORP and took over Dr. Curt Connors' job as director and hence the long hours at work. My mom was a scientist from Africa. She met my dad, another scientist, on a trip for the best scientists in the world. He was American, but he was smitten with my mom. After the two year trip, my father and my mom moved to America, where they got married and had me. I received my father's porcelain skin, my mom's dark hair, and my father's hazel orbs. Then, one night when I was 6, my father disappeared and left my mom and me. He died in a plane crash. My mom didn't act shocked or surprised. She never cried, nor got upset. I was a mess, crying whenever I thought of him, which was often. It was a mystery to why she didn't appear upset.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when my cell phone rang. I checked it and my alarm reminded me that my ballet class began in 30 minutes. I changed into my black leotard, pink tights, and black shrug. I packed my en pointe shoes and tutu into my bag. I wrestled with my tangled hair and finally tied it into a braided bun. I inserted my contacts and left my glasses in my room. I ignored the news, which was playing in the background. I ran out the door, ignoring the breaking news on the TV. But little did I know that announcement would change my life forever.

As I walked to my ballet class, I prepared myself for three hours of insults, mostly from the other ballerinas. They were all tall and rail thin. I was short and curvy. A 5'1 statue was not an ideal ballerina. Their size 2 bodies were perfect for ballet. They turned perfect pirouettes, whilst I fumbled because of my clumsy nature. Though I was the best in my class on en pointe, my clumsiness overshadowed that achievement. Oh well, my gracefulness shall come one day.

.-.-

After three hours of dancing and insults, I left the studio feeling defeated. Most of the afternoon was spent on pirouettes, fouetté en tournant, grand jetés, splits, and turn outs. All of which I fell on. I limped my way home, trying to ignore the throbbing pain in my toes and feet. I remembered some of the insults Madame Viola and the other ballerinas gave me. I was so engrossed in my thoughts; I didn't notice a group of men following me. It wasn't until a knife was pressed against my throat, I was thrown into an alley, and my body against a hard wall that I realized I was about to get jumped.

"Look what we have here, boys," A man with a dirty face, unshaven face, and rotten teeth grinned at me. I turned away, but the man dug the knife deeper into my skin. I cried out in pain. "A poor, little ballerina. Such a beautiful girl, so lonely," He caressed my face with a dirty finger. I resisted the urge to turn away, but the knife on my neck begged to differ.

"Please, leave me alone!" I begged. Great, harassed twice in a day!

The man grinned before drawing the knife back, prepared to stab me. I closed my eyes and waited for impact. Except it never came; I peeked my eyes open and saw a figure in red and blue fighting the men than were following me. I closed my eyes, never believing it. I was being jumped by a gang and saved by Spider-man. I heard the something whoosh in front of me. I opened my eyes and screamed. Spider-man's beady eyes were right in front of me, studying me. He was in a protective crouch, his head cocked.


	2. Chapter 1

**I Need a Hero**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Spider-man or the theme to Swan Lake.**

**Chapter One**

"T-thanks," I mumbled. I stood up, the pain in my feet increasing. I winced when I noticed my tutu was now dark from the filth on the ground.

"No problem. You're a dancer?" Spider-man asked, motioning to my tutu and leotard.

"Yes," I took a step and accidently stepped on a beer bottle. The glass went through my Converse and cut into my foot. I cried out in pain and fell to the ground. Well, I won't be dancing en pointe for a while.

"Shit!" I cried and took off my shoe. Spider-man was beside me in an instance. He studied the damage and pulled something out of the shadows. I saw it was a backpack. He pulled some tweezers out of his backpack.

"This might hurt," He warned as he began to pull blood-drenched glass out of my foot. I bit my lip, trying not to scream in pain. Within a few seconds, Spider-man swiftly and tightly wrapped my foot in gauze.

"Thank you," I opened my dance bag and pulled out another shoe. I wobbly stood up and began to walk out of the alley.

"You're not going to walk home with that bad foot, are you?" Spider-man was suddenly in front of me, hanging from a web.

"I don't need any help. And plus, you have the rest of New York to save. I can walk home myself," I assured him. I tried to side-step him, but he sent a web towards me and it wrapped around my waist. I was pulled and met face-to-mask with Spider-man. I gasped; one of the proximity of being so close to Spider-man, and two, my foot was screaming in pain.

"You didn't see it on the news, did you?" He asks, softly. I bit my lip. I considered lying to him, but decided against it.

"No," I admitted.

"Dr. Curt Connors escaped from prison," He sighed. I took notice that he said Dr. Curt Connors, not the Lizard.

"What?" I asked.

"He could be anywhere. That's why you need to be safe at home."

"I can take care of myself," I insisted as I tried to release myself from his web. He only pulled me closer. I blushed beet-red. My lips were only centimeters from his masked face, my chest was flushed up against his, and he pulled my injured foot and other leg around his waist. Also, my hair had unwound from its bun, leaving my hair wildly around my face. If anyone caught a picture of this, my mom would kill me for being almost deflowered by a superhero.

"What are—" I screamed. We were suddenly swinging beside skyscrapers. I clung to Spider-man, my eyes clamped shut. I heard a hearty chuckle. I peeked my eyes open and saw I was pressed up against Spider-man's chest.

"Not funny," I mumbled. I kept my eyes open as we swung past the skyscrapers and lights.

"Where do you live?" He shouted over the whistling wind.

"The Baxter Building!" I yelled back, grinning at the will of the pure adrenaline rushing through my veins. "WHOO!" He chuckled.

I saw the Baxter Building right below us. "Um, thanks," I murmured, looking up at Spider-man. "For everything."

If he didn't have a mask on, he probably would have grinned like mad. "No problem."

And then he dropped me.

I screamed as I fell a few stories. I saw the sidewalk below me. I closed my eyes, as I waited for the impact.

_Boing!_

I landed on something soft, not hard like the sidewalk. I opened my eyes and I saw I landed on a web. People crowded around me, glancing around for the said hero. I just grinned and looked up. I knew he was already watching.

.-.-

The next day, since my injury prevented me from dancing, I didn't have to go to dance class. Instead, my mother invited me to visit her at OSCORP, since she heard what happened to me at the alley. I limped down the street on my crutches; my mother insisted I used crutches instead of walking on my foot. I inserted my ear buds into my ears and began to play one of my favorites, '_Suite il lago dei cigni: Chiaro di luna sul lago_;' basically the theme to _Swan Lake_.

"Zoe!" Someone called. I took out my ear buds and shakily turned. Peter Parker stood behind me, shifting nervously from foot to foot.

"Hey," I said casually.

"Hey," He greeted back.

"Thanks for saving me," I started a conversation.

His eyes widened and his body tensed, before nervously replying, "No, I didn't save you."

"But yes, you did; from Flash yesterday," I suspiciously reminded him. He relaxed and his grip on his skateboard loosened.

"Oh, no problem," He replied. He gestured to the looming building over us. "What are you at OSCORP?"

"Oh, my mom is the director." I responded. Peter tensed before relaxing. "Oh, that's cool."

"What are you doing here?" I asked him.

"Um, I'm just walking past."

Something told me he was lying. I was about to question that when he asked me something.

"Hey, what happened to your foot?" Peter asked.

"Oh, I almost got mugged, but Spider-man saved me. He's truly a miracle. I don't know what New York would be like without him," I grinned, forgetting I was talking to Peter. I sort of developed a crush on Spider-man after last night. It seemed like I already knew him, but I seriously doubt it.

"It seems like you really like this guy," Peter mumbled quietly.

"He's the heart of New York. Well, I have to go before my mom kills me. Bye Peter; see you around school!" I waved at him before entering OSCORP. I got my badge on before using the elevator to go upstairs to my mom's office. I wobbled down the hallway and ran into a guy.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," I said, before slowly getting on my knees to help the guy pick his stuff up. I noticed an unusual marking on the folder; two zeros with two slashes through them. I vaguely remembered my mom scribbling it on her napkin during dinner when she was distracted. I studied the symbol before the guy snatched the folder from me.

"Thanks," He said curtly.

"Um…" I stuttered, before he disappeared. I shrugged and made my way down to my mom's office. She grinned when she saw me through the window. She invited me in.

"Sir, I don't have it." She replied into the phone in her thick African accent. Her thick dark hair flowed down her back like mine. Her cocoa skin matched her hair perfectly. "Sir, I'll try my best."

I heard someone scream through the phone, "Panama Anderson!"

"Sir, my daughter's here," She calmly said through the phone. A second later, she was off the phone. "Hello darling!" She greeted me.

"Hey mom," I hugged her as best as I could with crutches. Someone burst through the door.

"Panama," Her assistant, Marcie, said. She paused when she saw me. "Who's this?" She asked with a quizzical eyebrow raised.

"Marcie, this is my daughter," Mom explained.

"Oh, it's so nice to finally meet your adoptive daughter!" Marcie grinned and held out her hand. I didn't take it.

"No, this is my biological daughter," Mom coldly stated. Marcie's mouth hung open as she retracted her hand.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Marcie covered her mouth. "Um, Panama, there's an emergency meeting in five." And she quickly fled the room.

"She is so getting fired," Mom murmured. I laughed.

"So, what now?" I asked.

"Well, I suppose you'll have to go home since the meeting will probably take hours."

"I'll make dinner," I sighed.

Mom kissed my head. "Don't wait up."

.-.-

After I finished dinner and cleaned up, I decided to go into the library. I popped in a Phineas and Ferb episode set (I love my cartoons). As the previews played, I looked around the library. Many books were in there, most of them from my father. I noticed one of his favorites, The Secret Garden. It was his favorite because of the secrecy and whimsical moments. I pulled it out to read when it didn't budge. Instead, the corner of the book cover cut my finger. I frowned and yanked on it harder. A part of the wall propped open. I stepped back and almost screamed. A dusty stairwell was seen inside of the wall. I glanced in before stepping through the wall. The wall closed behind me and I jumped. I ran quickly down the stairs and into what looked like a showcase room. The ceiling was so low; I had to duck down to get in. Photos of my parents' favorite animal, the cheetah, was plastered all over the room. A few glass cases were on podiums around the room. There was cheetah's skull in one case, and a pair of cheetah teeth in another. Bones of the animal was all in glass cases around the room. I stopped when I discovered a case that didn't have anything to do with the animal, but had a symbol I recognized: two zeros with two lines through them. A bottle with the symbol on it wasn't marked or another. I carefully lifted the case up and studied the bottle. I tipped it to see what kind of substance it was. I didn't see it was open and the substance inside burned onto my finger. I screamed as I yanked the bottle away. I took a look at my finger; it red, pink, and purple and steaming. I ran upstairs, my vision blurring. I barely made it to the library, before I collapsed on the ground.

.-.-


	3. Chapter 2

**I Need a Hero**

**Replies:**

**Music2MyEars: Thank you for the compliments, and I actually read your story before reading your review! My advice is to never get discouraged because of the number of reviews. The only thing that matters it your writing. Also write anything that happens in your life in your stories. EXAMPLE: I play Jeopardy against my grandparents every weeknight. Zoe and her mom do too. Write a lot; this chapter is 20 pages on Microsoft Word. Oh, and use a lot of cliffhangers. That's how I'll end most of my chapters. ;D**

**Dustfinger's cheering section: Thank you. Here's the update! If you've seen the TASM movie and liked the scene where Peter eats almost everything in the house, you'll like this chapter! :D**

**JainaZekk621: Well here it is! As I said before, you're going to love this chapter!**

**AmberRedRose (1****st**** review): I'm glad you picked up on that! That will be explained later in the story!**

**AmberRedRose (2****nd**** review): Peter reacts in this chapter and I can't stress enough, you will love this chapter. Thanks for reading!**

**Szynka2496: Ah, Zoe shall know in a few chapters! Thanks for reading!**

**CrackYourRein911: Spider-man will always be sexy. ;D Aw, thanks but I'm no genius. My awesome reviewers are! P.S. I love your username! ;D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Spider-man.**

**P.S. I'm using the TASM version of Spider-man. Andrew Garfield is so cute! Okay, fan girl moment over.**

**P.S.S; I don't have a beta reader, so if you spot a mistake, excuse it and please tell me.**

**Chapter 2**

**Peter Parker**

Peter watched Zoe disappear into OSCORP, her crutches squeaking on the clean floor. He chuckled before continuing on his journey down the street. When he came across an alley directly across the street from OSCORP, he snuck in and discovered what he feared; a sewer. He ignored the smell and slipped right into the sewer. As a precaution, he changed into his costume and tiptoed down the sewer. He heard shushed talking.

"…I plan to attack OSCORP in just a few minutes." Dr. Curtis Connors' voice came into play. Peter scaled the wall and discovered a makeshift lab in the middle of the sewers. Curtis was in a chair, shaking fervently with a needle prepared in his hand. He was talking to a camcorder. "Everyone in there will be dead. The director and her family shall suffer the most."

Peter's eyes widened, remembering Zoe's mom was the director of OSCORP. He immediately hit himself for thinking about her. No, he didn't have feelings for her. He couldn't; he couldn't bring her into a world of hurt like he did Gwen.

But aww damnit! She was too attractive and had a beautiful personality!

"And I will find Norman myself and rip him apart limb to limb." And he glanced at the needle before bringing it down to inject himself. But he was interrupted.

"Doctor," Peter called and slipped down, hanging by a thread.

"Peter Parker," He asked in marvel. "I thought you quit being the hero after Gwen Stacy died."

He grimaced, before responding, "It was selfish of me; to let the city suffer. To let helpless citizens suffer."

"But this city could be run by both us of us! Together!" Curtis shouted; his eyes wide in excitement. "We can use our powers to rule this place! Make everyone like us. Not be the only freaks in town," He quieted.

"Doctor, give me the syringe," Peter demanded.

Curtis looked up with a glint of evil in his eye. "Why would I do that?" And he injected himself with the green substance.

"NO!" Peter shouted as Curtis transformed into the Lizard. And then the fight began.

.-.-

**Zoe Anderson**

"Zoe? Honey, please wake up," A voice called. Oh my god, did I die? Is this heaven?

"Honey, you fell asleep in the library; please wake up?"

Fell asleep? I tried to open my eyes, but my eyelids felt like rocks. I succeeded a few seconds later and saw a blurry apparition above me. My vision instantly cleared up. I managed a hand up and took off my glasses. My vision still remained, if not increased. I saw everything in the library; every single character on a book cover. I saw outside the window. I focused on a billboard and slightly gasped. I could see the sign. Not just a sign like a normal person, but the defects like chipped paint and unpainted board. I glanced at my finger. It was normal; no steaming or unusual coloring. I bent down and studied my foot. I unwrapped the bandaging, against my mom's wishes, and saw it healed overnight. There wasn't any evidence that I had blisters, bleeding toes, ingrown toenails, or glass through the foot the other day. My foot was also clear of any scars or defects I had received from fourteen years of dancing.

"Zoe?" My mom asked as she helped me up from the floor. "Are you okay?" She handed me a mirror. I gasped. My tangled hair was now silky, my hair was a light brown not dark like it was a few hours ago, my snow-white skin was now tanned, and my eyes were darker than normal and slit like a cat's.

"Yeah," I lied. "I just fell asleep watching Phineas and Ferb," I motioned towards the TV, which was repeating the menu over and over. Mom switched the TV off and stared at me. "Really, I'm okay. You know what? I'm going to go to the bakery and get us some breakfast."

"It's dinnertime," Mom corrected. I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Really?" I glanced at my watch and noticed the time: 6:24 P.M. "I missed school?"

"Yes, I called in and told them you were sick. Which I think you are; you slept 24 hours! And your foot healed too quickly; are you sure it's healed? And you look too different!" My mom led me to the futon and began to study my foot.

"Um, mom, how about I go and pick up some pizza? I'll get your favorite; meat lovers!" I gently pushed her over and sprinted down to the door. I slid on my favorite sneakers and grabbed my wallet and phone. I opened the door when my mom ran in.

"Zoe," My mom closed the door. "Be home at 7:30 and please be safe!" She said, opening the door again. "And don't you need your glasses?"

"Nope and I'll be home at 7:30 for Jeopardy," I called as I ran to the elevator. I entered and pushed the ground floor button. A guy was already in there. He had a buzz cut, amazingly blue eyes, and an amazing body. He smirked when he took my appearance in. I instantly recognized him and hit my head on the elevator wall. I prepared myself to be hit on.

"Hey," He casually greeted. "New look? You look hot."

I ignored him.

"Hello?" He waved his hand in front of my face.

"Hello Storm," I greeted.

"So where are you heading?"

"None of your business. And may I remind you, I'm 17 and you're 25. It would be illegal to date you."

"So you're saying if you were 18, you would dig this?" He motioned to his body.

I sighed," Goodbye Storm." The elevator dinged and I walked out and left the lobby. I began to walk in the direction on the pizza place when something in my muscles told my brain to speed it up. Suddenly, I began running. The people, sidewalks, and buildings became a blur as I sprinted down the street. My eyesight increases with every stride. I saw the rats in the dark alleys, scurrying away from me. I saw a hawk from faraway, not just the hawk, but its features; the beady eyes, the feathers, and the claws. I shuddered. Why must I see everything magnified? I dashed into the pizza place and ordered a large meat lover pizza. As I waited for the pizza, I watched the news.

"The Lizard is still on the loose, but made an appearance on the street near OSCORP yesterday. He appeared to heading towards OSCORP, but was stopped by local hero, Spider-man. The Lizard retreated, but Spider-man was mortally wounded and hasn't made an appearance since yesterday afternoon. This has left the door open for the crime rate to rise. Tune in at 11 for more news on the crime rate of New York."

I gasped when the news network played footage of the Lizard and Spider-man fighting. Spider-man was bashed into a wall when the Lizard's tail rammed into him. The Lizard's claws slashed across Spider-man's chest and Spider-man let out a painful scream. I turned away. I couldn't watch more. Why did I care so much about a person I barely knew?

"Miss?" The waiter asked. I turned towards him. We exchanged; the money for the pizza.

"Thanks," I grinned at the waiter before exiting the restaurant. I glanced at my phone. SHIT! It's 7:25! If I'm not at home in five minutes, my mom going to kill me! Shit, its three miles away. I took off running after tucking the pizza box in my bag towards the Baxter. Again, everything became a blur as I ran. Suddenly, my brain took over. My hands slammed against the ground, my feet pounded behind me, and my eyes slit. People started to scream and scurried away from me.

After a few seconds for running, the Baxter Building came into view. I ran into the lobby and up the stairs. I ran up the twelve floors to our apartment. I kicked the door open and walked in.

"Just on time," My mom said grinning as Johnny Gilbert's voice greeted us.

"Welcome to….Jeopardy!"

.-.-

I woke up the next morning at 6:00. For once, I didn't have to wrestle with my tangled hair. I actually had time to style it. I pulled my hair into an ornate braid and clipped my bangs up. I also threw away my glasses, due to my new found vision. I opened my closet and was disgusted. Did I really have only baggy clothes? Something was pulling me to change into something flexible and tight. Why; I have no idea.

I wanted to show a new me at school, since I was apparently a new person with my newfound tan and hair. I still didn't know what happened. Maybe the bottle in the secret lab was a makeover potion that made me tolerable? Speaking off the potion, I didn't know whether to question my mom or just shut the hell up. I decided to shut the hell up. If she wanted to tell me, she would have already.

But back to reality; I remembered my mom buying me some real clothes, just in case I wanted to poke my head into reality and dress like a normal person. Wow, way to raise my self-esteem, mom! I chose a pair of skinny jeans, a red tank top, and a white oversized t-shirt. I picked up my red Converse, shoulder bag, a piece of toast, and I was out. I decided to walk to school and not take the subway. Even though school was five miles away, I thought I could make it. I was right; I made to school ten minutes before classes began. I decided to go to the courtyard of the school to finish some Italian homework, when I felt a presence right beside me. I tensed up. Even though I felt strangely confident, I didn't want any jealous cheerleaders or jocks terrorizing me again.

"Hey," Peter Parker greeted; his voice shy. I looked up at him as he scratched the back of his neck.

"Hey," I greeted back.

"New look, huh?" He asked, gesturing to my lighter hair, tanned skin, and lack of glasses.

"No, I just woke up and looked like this," I half-joked.

Peter chuckled and stopped in his tracks. "Um, this is going to sound weird, but can I take a picture of you?"

I paused and turned towards him. I grinned slightly at him. "Really? You want to take a picture of me?"

The last picture he took of anyone or anything was Gwen. And now he wanted to take a picture of me?

He nodded and held up his camera. "Cheese," He meekly stated.

I smiled, before he gasped.

"What? Is there something wrong? Oh god, was this too soon?" I asked him nervously.

"No, it's just…..you have fangs," Peter stuttered and pointed to my teeth. I felt around my incisors and retracted my finger which was bleeding.

"Oh, my mom must put in fake vampire teeth from Halloween in as a prank. Can't believe I didn't notice them until now," I lied. Two things: One, I was officially freaked out.

Two, something inside of me felt strange lying to Peter, but I ignored the feeling. Don't be the rebound girl! I closed my eyes and focused on my teeth. I felt my incisors retracted and grinned, fangs-free.

"There," I grinned at him. Behind him, the bell rang, indicating if we didn't get our asses in school in two minutes, we'd have detention.

"Shit," I cursed the time. I was really looking forward to spending time with Peter. Was that wrong? He was probably still hung up on Gwen and I didn't want to be the rebound girl or get my feelings toyed with.

"How about we meet here at lunch? We can go off-campus, if you like," He offered.

I grinned, momentarily forgetting I didn't want to be the rebound girl. "That'd be awesome."

"Okay," He grinned, backing away. He accidently backed into a trash can, but caught it at the nick of time. "That wasn't there yesterday." He protested.

I laughed and waved before walking off to my History class.

.-.-

**Peter Parker**

Damnit! Peter ran a hand through his hair, kicking the trash can after watching Zoe saunter away. And he would be lying if he said his eyes didn't wander past her face. He promised Gwen and Captain Stacy that he wouldn't get another girl caught in his superhero shit. But Zoe attracted him like a moth to a flame. Her whimsical personality and her beautiful statue made him go insane. After he met her (as Spider-man), he couldn't stop thinking about her. And after he bumped into her at OSCORP and learned of Doctor's plans to kill Panama and her family, he felt the urge to kill Curtis, even if it meant protecting her. He needed a picture of her, since he thought about her 24/7. Aunt May caught him at 4 A.M. looking up Zoe Anderson on Google images, trying to catch a glimpse of her desperately. He had never fallen that hard and fast before. Zoe barely noticed him whilst he stalked her day and night. Once, he even stalked outside her window as Spider-man to insure her safety.

Yes, it was official.

Peter Parker was in love for the first time after the death of Gwen Stacy.

He was snapped from his thoughts when he heard sirens in the distance. He leaped into action, not caring about missing first period

.-.-

**Zoe Anderson**

When it was lunch time, I walked leisurely out to the courtyard, sunglasses shielding my sensitive eyes from the sun. Gah, why must the sun to so annoying? I'm 60% sure I'm either a vampire or just weird. Maybe that stuff in the bottle changed me into a vampire or supernatural?

Guys ogled me from the lawn, their eyes following the sway of my hips or my bounce of my chest. That's why I wore baggy clothes; stupid pervy guys! I crossed my arms over my chest protectively and continued walking towards Peter, whom was fiddling with his camera, his face down and blocked out from the world. I smiled when he looked up and saw me. I gasped when I noticed the black and purple bruises on his face. I began to run towards him when someone stepped in front of me. I skidded to an unintelligence stop a few yards from Peter. Josh Beckett, a senior (I was a junior) stepped in front of me.

"Hey Zoey," He greeted, his mega-dollar smile blinding me. Peter looked concerned and started to walk towards us.

"Zoe," I corrected.

"You're hot, I'm hot, let's go out," Josh grabbed my arm. Something inside of me took over and I kicked Josh square in the chest. He fell back and chuckled. Peter began to run towards us, something dark in his eyes.

"Feisty; I like that," He stood up and ran a finger up and down my face like that man did a few days ago.

Overdrive took over and I twisted Josh's arm and held it behind his back. He tried to fight back, but I had his arm in a vice. A crowd became to form around us, but Peter shoved his way in and separated Josh from me. He pushed Josh at a nearby freshman. I heard him almost growling at him, before grabbing my hand and pulling me out of the crowd. We slipped out of gates and out into the busy streets of New York.

"Peter, your face," I said, gingerly touching a bruise. He winced.

"It's nothing. A jock just threw a book at me," He stuttered.

"Peter, you're going to need something on it." I glanced around and spotted poultry shop. My stomach growled like an animal, begging for the dead meat.

Without thinking, I grabbed Peter's hand and dragged him to the shop. I ordered four steaks. Two for Peter's eye and two for my…hunger. Peter insisted on buying the steaks. We stopped by a Starbucks and ordered some coffee and sandwiches for lunch. I insisted on paying for lunch. We chose a nice area in Central Park for lunch. I laid two steaks on Peter's eye and he hissed.

"Sorry," I winced. For some reason, I hated seeing Peter in pain. No, don't go there Zoe! Don't be the rebound girl!

I grabbed the leftover steaks and stared at them.

"Zoe, what are you going to do with that—Zoe!" Peter reached out, but it was too late. I had devoured the two steaks in one bite. My bloody steaks slid down my stomach in an odd pleasingly way and I moaned in pleasure. Peter raised his eyebrow.

"Did you just eat raw meat? And why aren't you dying or spewing blood everywhere?" He asked.

I shrugged. "I have a strong immune system." I unwrapped my sandwich and happily bit into it.

"So what happened to you in first period?" I asked after I swallowed.

Peter tensed before answering, "Um, I had to go home to get my book for English." He stuttered before taking a sip of his coffee.

I raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You seem a little unsure of yourself."

"Um," He suddenly took a picture of me, blinding me.

"Ouch!" I saw, covering my overly sensitive eyes.

"Sorry, I needed to check the lighting," He shot me a lopsided grin. Damn, he is too cute! I pushed him off the bench and chuckled. He flipped up.

"Ooh, spider monkey," I called.

He chuckled and mumbled something I didn't catch.

"What was that, spider monkey?" I asked, grinning.

"Spider monkey? What is that, my new nickname?" He asked.

"Yeah, isn't it cute?" I stuck my tongue out at him.

He grinned and held up the camera. "Stop," He softly commanded.

I paused. "What?"

"You look perfect; just stand like that," He smiled and snapped a picture.

And I knew at that moment, I had broken me promise and started to fall for Peter Parker.

Little did I know, he had already fallen for me.

.-.-

After an excellent dance class, I began to walk home. I was on a buzz after being declared the best dancer in the class. Though it had raised some questions about my injury, I danced and for once, didn't fall. I guessed my gracefulness decided to make an appearance.

I stopped in my tracks and went into override. Even in the dark, I saw a crystal clear image of six guys cornering me, one guy had a gun. Without even thinking, I snatched the gun out of the guy's hand and slapped him with the butt of the gun. He fell and two guys charged at me. I ran and climbed up a wall. Whoa, how in the hell did I do that? Okay, you can stop being awesome brain! STOP!

Well my brain didn't listen as I swung on a pipe and kicked the guys square in the chest, like I did Josh earlier today. I slammed both of them with the butt of the gun and prepared myself to fight the other three guys. Two immediately ran away as the other with caution, stepped towards me. I hissed, slipping into a crouch and leaped at him. I put my legs around his throat, choked him, and then did a backflip, sending him barring towards the hard wall of the alley. I took a deep breath and threw the gun on the alley floor. How did I do that? I just defeated four guys by myself and kicked ass like a…superhero. What the hell?

I heard clapping behind me. I slipped into a crouch and hissed. I felt something pointed and sharp cut into my lip. Fangs, I realized.

"Well done, my dear."

And Dr. Curtis Connors stepped out of the shadows. "Well done, Zoe Anderson."

.-.-

Ooh, cliffhanger! Will Curtis give Zoe a hint on what's happening to here or will he leave her hanging? I'll update sometime either today or tomorrow. Saturday, I have guests arriving and probably won't write for a few days. And you probably don't know this, but I have a two or three day writing process. I write for one or two days and then edit my mistakes, add details, and publish on the other day. Oh, and the romance and story might seem like its moving too quickly; but there will be a minor setback next chapter. ;D

Cliffhanger mania!

P.S., Anyone catch a reference in there? If you guess correctly in the form of a review, you get a shout out in the next chapter.

~WafflesandCoffee


	4. Chapter 3

**I Need a Hero**

**Shout out: Seriously, only one person got it? Shout-out to ****Laurafxox ****for guessing correctly! The reference was Storm, whom is Johnny Storm from Fantastic Four, another Marvel comic hero. The Fantastic Four and the Avengers will make appearances in this story. In fact, Johnny makes one this chapter.**

**Note: What Zoe is will be revealed in the next chapter.**

**Replies:**

**BrittWitt16****: Thank you! Zoe will actually not get her costume until about a few more chapters. But there are some good chapters ahead! Nope, but it was a great try!**

**AmberRedRose: ****Nope, not from Twilight. I'm glad you liked the chapter! Aw, thanks; and if you loved this chapter, you'll love the next few chapters! As I said before, Zoe won't get her costume for a few more chapters, but it won't be too long! Thanks for continuing to read!**

**JainaZekk621****: No, Zoe isn't a vampire. You're on the right track! :D**

**Music2MyEars****: You're welcome and that's a great plan! When I was in school and away from my laptop, I used up ten notebooks for my stories! :D**

**Dustfinger's cheering section: ****(Your reply is in a PM); don't worry, you're not in trouble! :D**

**Laurafxox: ****Thank you for getting the reference! The shout-out is above! :D**

**P.S. Who else is watching the Olympics? :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Spider-man.**

**Chapter 3**

**Zoe's POV**

As Curtis drew closer, I stepped back, swiftly grabbing the gun and cocking it towards him.

"How do you know my name?" I asked.

He only chuckled. "You are a beautiful girl. Too bad I have to kill you and use you for bait."

My eyes widened as he produced a needle from his pocket. A dark green fluid was filled in the syringe. He stuck into his arm. I watched in horror as he began to grow scales and scream. His muscles bulged as he finished his transformation. Beady, scaly eyes focused on me. What I supposed was his mouth grinned.

"Run," He simply commanded.

My survival skills kicked into use as I shot at the pipe above the Lizard. It fell on his head; the Lizard roared in protest as I made my escape. I began to run down the teeming streets of New York. The pounding footsteps behind me alerted me that the Lizard had escaped my trick.

Suddenly, something slimy and scaly grabbed my ankle and I fell. The Lizard picked me up and grinned.

"Yes, bait for both Spider-man and Panama," He hissed. He raised a claw towards me and I closed my eyes. He released me so abruptly; I fell to the ground before I received my senses again. Something on fire had picked the Lizard up and dropped it in the lake. I chuckled. Great, I owed Johnny Storm.

Some citizens had called an ambulance and requested that my vitals were checked out. I insisted I was fine, but the paramedics kept prodding me like I was an alien. After five minutes of prodding, they deemed me safe. The only protocol I was given was to take Aleve if any pain persisted. I entered my apartment, wondering what would have happened if Johnny wasn't nearby. And where was Spider-man? I shook my head. No, he's Spider-man! He saved me once, but he had the rest of New York to save. He couldn't save me 24/7.

But I wished he had.

I turned out the light and dreamed of Spider-man.

.-.-

"Peter!" I called, picking up my pace, when I spotted him amongst the crowd of teenagers. He also picked up his pace, but in the opposite direction. I furrowed my eyebrows. I finally caught up to him and gently grabbed his arm. "Hey," I greeted casually.

"Hey."

"Do you want to come over and watch a movie tonight? My mom's on a business trip and said I could invite a friend over," I offered.

"Um, no thanks," Peter muttered, looking away.

"Okay, how about tomorrow?" I asked.

"Zoe, I don't think we should hang out anymore," Peter blurted. My jaw dropped.

"W-what?" Oh god, I sounded like we were girlfriend and boyfriend.

"Zoe, I'm sorry," Peter gave me one more lopsided smile before walking away, as I stood in the middle of the hallway looking like an idiot with my heart shattering into millions of pieces.

.-.-

It was 6:15 P.M. and I still looked like an idiot. I was at home, eating dinner whilst looking at a reality show about animals. Wow, what had my life stooped to?

Why did Peter blow me off like that? And without an explanation? Did I do something wrong? Or was he still hung up on Gwen? And did I just get my feelings toyed with? Was he joking when he flirted with me? Damnit, boys are so confusing!

I was startled when I heard a timid knock at the window. I carefully walked over to the window, undid the latch, and opened the window. At first, I saw and heard nothing. Then, two beady eyes appeared in my vision. I screamed. He chuckled and slipped down from a thread.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Well, such a pretty  
girl like you shouldn't be at home alone after she was attacked by the Lizard last night."

I blushed when he called me a pretty girl. "Well, I can take care of myself."

"That's not what Johnny said," He crossed his arms.

"Yes, he did save me, but I was doing just fine. And where were you Spidey?" I asked.

He winced. "Zoe," He started.

I snorted in disgust and began to enter apartment. Something grabbed my waist and suddenly, I was staring at the bright city streets below us. I screamed and kicked at Spider-man to let me go, but he only held me tighter. I finally obeyed, pouting the whole time we were swinging through NYC. I actually closed my eyes and took a nap, still in the air.

"Zoe?" Spider-man shook me awake.

I groaned in my sleep, "Shut up."

He chuckled before something cold grabbed at my face. I opened my eyes to find a web on my face. I ripped the web off and glared at a chucking hero.

"Not funny," I grumbled. Then I realized where we were, "Are we…"

Spider-man grinned through his mask. "Yup; we're on the Statue of Liberty."

I stood up and looked around. The river was dark and quiet below us and the stars were so peacefully above us. I turned and looked at him.

"You know, we can be prosecuted for this," I joked.

"Oh, what the hell," He laughed.

I sighed deeply, remembering what happened earlier today.

"What's up with you?" Spider-man asked, pulling a backpack out of the shadows. He laid out a blanket and set a pizza, two sodas, and a container on it. He sat down and patted the seat next to him. I complied.

"Just thinking," I said.

He lifted his mask just slight so he could eat. His skin looked so smooth. Oh god, Zoe, stop thinking these thoughts!

He bit into a slice and chewed. "Whatcha thinking about?" He asked in a playful manner.

I paused as I bit into my own slice. Should I tell him? Or should I shove it and shut the hell up? "Um…there's this…boy….Peter Parker."

He motioned to continue.

"Um….we started to hang out recently. Today, he just blew me off and said we shouldn't hang out anymore. And when I asked him why, he didn't give me an explanation."

"Do…you like this guy?" Spider-man asked.

"….Yes." I finally admitted. And then, I continued to tell Spider-man about my feelings for Peter. It was like a dam full of hormones had burst open inside me. And Spider-man listened quietly and patiently. We feasted on pizza and he revealed the container to be—chocolate covered strawberries. We playfully fed each other as I continued my rant.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is…" I closed my eyes and let out a shuddered breath. "…I'm in love with Peter Parker." Spider-man's mouth dropped slightly.

"I know I've fallen too quick and fast and that it's my first time in love, but…there's just something I love about him. It's something about the way he's passionate about photography or that he bites his lip when he talks shyly. Or that damn cute lopsided smile," I chuckled.

"You love him?" Spider-man interrupted.

I nodded. "It might sound crazy, but I think I do. Even if he wouldn't return the feelings—"

Something warm and soothing landed on my lips. My eyes widened. Oh my god; Spider-man was kissing me. While I was professing my love for someone else, but still!

I began to kiss back and wrapped my arms around his neck. The kiss was deepened by him as I lay back onto the picnic blanket. Damn he can kiss—

What about Peter? Something inside my brain questioned. I slightly pulled apart from Spider-man.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Um, I just remembered I have work in the morning. Can you take me home?" I lied.

He didn't question, but only packed up the food, pulled the rest of his mask down, and began to swing us home. I pretended to go to sleep, only because I didn't want to talk to him. What would I say?

Hey, I know I was pouring my heart to another guy, but when you kiss me like that, I kind wish you'd do that again.

"If I said I love you, would I be classified as a whore?" I mumbled.

He didn't respond. A few minutes later, we were on my balcony. I slipped out of his grasp and opened the window.

I turned towards him. "I don't know who I love more…you or Peter Parker. If only you and Peter were the same person."

Then I crawled in and closed the window, smiling.

**Aww that was a romantic chapter! And when I said it would be minor setback for Peter and Zoe, I didn't mean for Spider-man and Zoe.**

**Some of my reviewers have been asking me about when Peter reveals to Zoe that he's Spider-man or when Zoe will become a superhero. That will happen in a few chapters. It's the first climax of the story and is a pivotal point in the story and romance of Peter and Zoe. That's all I'm giving you. ;D**

**This is Morgan (moi) signing out! Thank you for reading and go and watch the Olympics! What event will you be watching? I'm going to watch the gymnastics events, swimming, and track and field, but what are you going to watch? Tell me in your review! :D Oh, and if you're a women's or men's gymnastics groupie, exciting news!**

**I'm going to be doing a live tweeting during all of the gymnastic events! My twitter is LoveMyGreyson.**

**Ciao!**

**~WafflesandCoffee**


	5. Chapter 4

**I Need a Hero**

**Sorry for the wait! I have guests and I have a cold. I had to go to the hospital and whilst leaving the hospital, one of my guests twisted his ankle. So that took my whole weekend up. And plus, some of my guests have to use my laptop. :(**

**Replies:**

**Laurafxox: ****Yup, the guilt is tearing poor Zoe apart. I love women's gymnastics too; don't forget I'm doing a live tweeting during all of the gymnastic events (LoveMyGreyson). My favorite event is either beam or uneven bars! :D**

**AmberRedRose: ****Well, I can't write romance worth my life, so that's why it's so short! Yup, the kiss was good! ;D Yup, Johnny Storm is awesome! :D**

**Pwny: ****I post on my own rate; if I'm forced to write, it's sloppy. I have my own life too, so I can't post every day.**

**Dustfinger's cheering section: ****Well, to answer your answer your question about how Zoe didn't notice it was a date, she was a nerd before she snuck into the secret lab. She wasn't asked out on dates and with her mom always out and her dad dead; she doesn't know what a date is. Plus, Zoe felt like she could trust Spider-man. She couldn't talk to her mom about Peter, since she's always gone. She couldn't talk to her friends, since she has none. So, she decided to talk to him. And with the kiss, she really didn't know what was going on but in the other chapters; she openly had a crush on him. Plus, she was in a passionate moment talking about Peter and when Spider-man kissed her, she was confused for a moment and didn't know what to do. Next chapter will probably clean it up. Oh, and Johnny always flies around the city, making mischief. P.S., here's a hint for why the Lizard wanted Zoe; look for a connection between Panama's NEW job and Dr. Curt Connors' OLD job.**

**MockingjaysDaughter'xox-Thanks for reading!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Spider-man.**

**Chapter 4—**

The next morning, I woke feeling like an idiot. A colossal idiot. Recap; I went out with Spider-man last night. I was pouring my feelings out for Peter, when bam! Spider-man kissed me! He caught me at the peak of my messy flurry of hormones; so what did I do? I kissed him back. I was an idiot; I basically led Spider-man on whilst talking about another guy. God, it made me look like a whore.

I trudged out of bed and walked to the kitchen. I messily ate a bowl of cereal, before heading to the library. I turned on my mom's season of _Full House_. If Uncle Jesse and Michelle couldn't pull me out of this funk, no one could. I flopped on the couch and looked down at the carpet. God, I was such a—whoa, is that blood on the carpet? I fell to the knees and start to study the blood on the carpet. It seeped deeply into the carpet and stained. The blood stain led a trail to the bookcase. I stood up and glanced at all of the books. Then one book stood and caught my attention: _The Secret Garden_.

It came flooding back; the secret lab, the cheetah bones everywhere, and the bottle. To make sure I was hallucinating, I pulled on the book. The wall opened and the stairs appeared. I hesitatingly stepped inside and walked down the stairs. The lab seemed normal, especially for the knocked down glass case and bottle. I picked the bottle and replaced it under the glass case. I began to look around. There wasn't much to look at; there was nothing, but a table with many coffee rings on it. I accidently bumped into the table and heard it. The shuffling of something inside the table; something was in the table! I studied the drawers in the table, but came up with nothing. I furrowed my eyebrows as I shook the table and still heard the shuffling. I opened each drawer and inspected each one. But when I closed the last drawer, I heard something rattle and break. I opened it back up and discovered the wood that collapsed. I gingerly moved the broken wood and found what probably made the scuffling sound: a folder. I pulled it out of the drawer and began to read it. The cover had the symbol that one dude dropped at OSCORP a few days ago. I opened the folder and skimmed over the notes.

_Cross-species genetics:_

_EX:_

_The fastest animal on planet vs. the average speed of a human_

_Speed of a cheetah: 70 to 75 MPH Speed of an average human: 12 to 15 MPH._

_Add a massive 60 MPH to a human if cross-species is a success._

_Bottle: Specimen from RP. Never tested before._

_Chance for success: Slim to nothing. 1.2% of survival._

The bottle…could it be the bottle from the glass case? 1.2% survival rate? Does that mean….?

_If combined with human and success:_

_-eyesight can be increased._

_ -appearance can change to match a cheetah's mane._

_-Can transform into a cheetah whenever is threatened._

_-Speed can be increased._

_-Combat skills can be strengthened._

_-Extreme strength and flexibility._

Strength? Combat skills? Flexibility?

Combat skills; that explained how I defeated those thugs. Flexibility; that explained how I did a back flip. Speed; how else could I run/walk three miles in five minutes? Eyesight; no wonder I don't need my glasses anymore. Appearance; lighter hair and slit eyes. Check! Transform into a cheetah; no thanks. Wait, if almost all of this is true, then—

I gasped and dropped the folder. I stumbled back and held onto the table for support. That meant….

I was part animal, cheetah to be exact. Was that a prank? Would someone pop out of nowhere and yell, "PRANKED!" But nope, it wasn't a prank. This was very real. I grabbed the folder and ran up the stairs and into the library in a super-human way.

"Oh god," I mumbled. Would I ever gain control of this? This; whatever it was?! I collapsed on the floor and emptied my stomach on my mom's carpet, adding more stains. Some vomit got in my hair. I threw up for a few more minutes, before falling sleep, exhausted.

.-.-

"Zoe? Zoe?" Someone began to comb back my hair. "Sweetie, are you okay?"

I stirred and opened my eyes to find my mom staring at me worried. "Mom?" I sat up and found dried vomit on the carpet. "Uh-oh. I'm so sorry, Mom." I scratched my head and finding something wet and sticky in my hair,

"It's okay, sweetie. Are you okay? You threw up so much, you have vomit in your hair," Mom chuckled and petted my hair.

"I'm good, Mom." I protested. I contemplated telling her about the secret lab and bottle, but decided against it.

"No, you're not. You have a fever. I've been leaving you alone too much." Mom furrowed her eyes in worry.

"I can take care of myself," I said.

"You have vomit in your hair," Mom glared at me. "That's it; you're coming to work with me."

My eyes widened. "No, Mom! I swear I'm okay!"

"No, you are coming with me to the OSCORP Benefits Ball Monday night," Mom commanded.

"Mom, no!" I pleaded.

"That's final! Go and wash your hair," She demanded and walked out of the library.

I fell face first in the carpet; great, now I have to go to a ball held by OSCORP and get sucked up to because I'm the director's daughter.

Mom poked his head in. "Oh and we're going shopping tomorrow."

Just kill me now.

.-.-

"How about this one?" My mom held up a blue, one-shouldered floor length gown.

"Do you want me to fall and break my neck in front of everyone?" I grumbled. I know I shouldn't treat my mom like that, but I was a bad mood. I was forced to go shopping for a stupid ball I didn't want to go to.

"How about this?" She held up a knee length, lacy white gown.

"You know what? How about you go and look for yourself and I'll go and look in Barneys for my dress," I hastily exited Vera Wang and leaned against a wall. I took a deep breathe. Could this day get any worse?

"Zoe?" A soft voice called behind me.

I stand corrected.

I turned and became face to face with Peter Parker.

I forced a smile; that probably looked like a grimace. "Hey."

He grasped his skateboard nervously. "Hey. What are you doing here?"

"Uh, just for a party for my mom," I timidly answered, glancing at him and blushing. He was wearing a fitting gray t-shirt that showed off his unknown muscles and jeans that made me blush.

"Oh. So—"

The words were out of my mouth before I thought, "I have to go; bye." And then I fled, heading towards the store my mother was in. I ran past a wedding store, before backtracking. I recognized a dress that resembled my mom's. But that was nearly impossible; my mom's was a custom dress, designed by a late fashion designer. No other copy had been made, so that's why my mom fancied the dress. I was in love with it when I was a little girl. I always asked my mom when I could try it on. She always said whenever the time was right…

Suddenly, a grin broke out on my face. I pulled my phone from my pocket and dialed my mom's number.

"Hey Mom; do you still have your wedding dress?" I smirked.


	6. Chapter 5

**I Need a Hero**

**A/N: So, someone asked me who Zoe looks like in the real world. There is no exact celebrity; I actually based Zoe on me. But if I had to pick an actress, it would probably be Lucy Hale with lighter hair and darker skin.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Spider-man.**

**Chapter 5**

"Oww!" I glared at my mom when she poked a hair pin into my head. My mom sighed and adjusted the pin begrudgingly. She was taking out the pin curls she put in a few hours ahead.

"If you want curls, you had to have the pin curls tight and secure," Mom reprimanded.

I muttered something unintelligence and allowed my mom to finish my hair. A few moments later, she finished.

"There," My mother took a step backwards and studied me. "Now go and get dressed."

I rolled my eyes, but obeyed. I shed the robe I was wearing and hastily slipped on the strapless, crème colored wedding gown. I stepped into my clear heels and looked in my mirror.

No, that wasn't me. This…creature was beautiful. Her caramel hair curled down to her waist, her bangs pinned back. Her dark hazel eyes gleamed with her reddish tan. In her dress, her petite frame and tiny waist was flaunted. The strapless crème dress also showed off her tanned shoulders and complimented her just well.

No, this wasn't me. I blinked and sure enough, the creature blinked also.

I cautiously walked out and saw my mom in her light blue dress.

She huffed and started to complain, without even looking around. "There you are! We have to be there in twelve minutes! We can't be late—"

Then she turned. She gasped. "Oh my god," She cried. "You…you look so beautiful. Oh my god, I wish I could still wear that dress," She frowned and looked down at her size four frame and glared at the size two dress I was wearing.

"Mom, you're 39; you were 22 when you wore this. You had a child and you're still a size four. Millions of women would love to stay that whipped into shape," I hugged her.

She sniffled. "T-thank you. You look….so beautiful," She sobbed.

"Thanks," I said. "But you're the one that looks beautiful. I'm just a Plain Jane," I picked up my peach-colored clutch and started to head towards the door.

"Wait until the boys get a look at you," My mom gushed, locking the door. "Adam Jackson's son, Beck, has been asking about you."

I rolled my eyes. "The no-good rich prep boy? No thanks," I snorted. But I couldn't help, but compare him to Peter. Oh god, stop thinking about him; you promised yourself to never mention him ever again.

"Well, you could set him straight," My mom offered.

"Mom," I mock-glared and climbed into the limo the company provided.

I stared out blindly and at nothing. I thought I saw something swinging by the limo, its stance protective, but I might have been wrong. After ten minutes of driving, we drove up to OSCORP.

"Wow; OSCORP really knows how to throw a party," I murmured sarcastically.

Mom snorted. "Wait until you see inside."

Dark curtains covered the tall windows of OSCORP and prevented any peepers or paparazzi from looking in. It was also dark, since all of the lights were inside. Two huge lights were stationed by the door, like this was a Hollywood premiere. A huge guy (about 6'5) stood as a bouncer to the event.

My mom walked up to him. "Good afternoon Richard," She greeted.

"Miss Anderson," He opened the door and glanced at me. "And who is this?"

"This is my daughter," Mom said and pulled me inside before any more questions could be asked.

"Wow," I echoed.

Champagne walls were lined with expensive paintings, along with the tall windows. A tan staircase was rolled out beneath us, which led to a glass dance floor. A quartet of string instruments was playing, disturbingly enough, an arrangement of _Call Me Maybe_. About sixty people dressed in their best were awkward dancing around to the pop song. Waiters were serving food on platters, but only a few people were eating. A chef was cooking some type of food off to the side.

"It looks amazing, but it looks like no one's enjoying it," I mumbled and turned to where my mom was supposed to be. But I only found empty air. "Nice mom," I grumbled.

I walked carefully downstairs, catching the eyes of a few boys. Beck Jackson sauntered up to me. His eyes flitted to my "gals" and he grinned. I crossed my arms over my "gals".

"Zoe Anderson," He cooed.

"Beck Jackson," I echoed.

"You look smashing."

"You look like an asshole," I replied and walked away, smirking. I rode the elevator up to the balcony where it should be just the stars and me. I stepped out onto the balcony and studied the constellations. Orion, Andromeda, Sirius, Ursa Major and Minor, Draco, Libra, and Hercules surrounded me. I rested against the rail and let the wind billow through my hair. Oh, if only I could stay up here forever….

"You know, you could fall," A joking voice said from behind me. I turned around and came face-to-face with Peter Parker.

"What are you doing here?" I said, trying not to gawk at him, dressed in a fine black suit and dressy shoes. His hair was in his usual messy attire and a playful smile was on his face.

I blushed beet-red when I noticed Peter staring me over and mouthing wow.

"I'm here for the ball; what are you here for?" Peter strolled up to me and leaned up against the rail, staring into my eyes. I blushed and glanced down.

"Mom dragged me here," I grumbled.

"Well, you look gorgeous." He complimented.

"Thanks, and you look handsome," I blushed yet again. He moved closer.

"Zoe, can things not be awkward between us again?" Peter said, looking like a kicked puppy.

I scoffed. "You're the one that said you didn't want to see me anymore."

"I know what I said Zoe, but," Peter slid closer to me. "I've been an idiot. I—I want to stay around you."

"But why did you say you didn't?" I asked, subtly sliding towards him. Our arms touched and I tensed, before relaxing under his warm touch.

"Zoe, my life is complicated. I'm not normal," Peter glanced down. I moved even closer and touched his shoulder.

"Peter, you can tell me anything," I softly cooed. He turned towards me, leaning in.

My heart began to beat terribly fast as my senses took over. I began to lean in, his warm breathe tickling my face. Before our lips could meet, a loud explosion and a scream were heard down in the party area.

We pulled away, blushing and looked down. A scaly monster was raiding downstairs, terrorizing guests.

"The Lizard," I gasped.

"Go and hide," Peter said, pushing me into the shadows. He gently pushed me down.

"Wait," I turned, but didn't see him. I crawled out of my spot and stared down. A red and blue figure was fighting with the Lizard. Spider-man, I realized. I crawled down the stairs and into the chaos. People were fleeing in different directions and screaming, adding more drama to the chaos. Something flew above me and hit the wall. I glanced back and realized it was Spider-man. When I glanced back at Spider-man, the Lizard took notice of my distraction.

The Lizard grabbed me with its scaly fingers. "Where is Panama Anderson?" He hissed.

Something inside of me snapped when I realized he was going after my mom. I growled ferociously and hissed. I felt something cut into my lip. Fangs. The Lizard chuckled.

"Ah, yes, another freak." He hissed. My muscles tightened. My dress began to rip. Oops; sorry Mom. The Lizard dropped me when something scratched him. Claws.

With a shock, I realized it was _my_ claws. I fell to the ground as my bones began to break. My dress fell, but I wasn't embarrassed, because I wasn't me. I wasn't a normal geek from the Upper East; I was a fierce woman. But I was also a cheetah….literally.

I roared a deep ripple through me. My paws pounded against the glass floor and my tan mane glistened in the bright lights.

The Lizard looked taken aback. "The cheetah formula," He murmured. "Panama Anderson's daughter has survived the cheetah formula."

I leaped towards him, cutting him off. I crashed into him as we tumbled into the floor. I recovered and growled, taking a stance. Something red and blue slid up to an unconscious Lizard.

But before he could look towards me, I quietly disappeared and slipped under a table. I rocked back and forward, marveling over the occurrences. Then, my bones softened and my muscles relaxed. I was back to my human self. I blushed in embarrassment when I realized I was naked.

Instead of concentrating on my nudity, I focused on the sound of the battle ongoing. Crashing and rattling were heard as I stayed until the table. After about ten minutes a hiss was heard and then silence. I deemed it safe, wrapped a discarded tablecloth around me, and crawled from under the table. I clutched the tablecloth close to my chest and studied the damage. All of the tables were broken, along with the windows. Luckily, the dark curtains prevented anyone from peeking. A fire was aflame where the chef was cooking. The string instruments were broken and lied abandoned. An alarm trilled idly. It was silent and I liked it.

"Zoe," I heard a voice call. Footsteps were heard and a pair of arms wrapped around me. I was turned and saw Peter. He was miraculously unscathed and still looked handsome in his suit. He hugged me tightly. "Oh my god, I'm so glad you're safe," He breathed and sent shivers down my bare back.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged back. "What about you? Are you okay?" I asked, checking his face for bruises.

"It doesn't matter." He smiled at me. "I'm just glad you are."

I smiled back before a window allowed a draft in. I shivered. He noticed and asked, "What's wrong?"

I chuckled. "Well, in case you haven't noticed; I'm wearing just a tablecloth."

Peter looked down at me and blushed. He was probably embarrassed he touched me with nothing on. "What happened?"

"The Lizard apparently didn't like my dress," I lied and sighed ruefully, staring at the shredded dress on the floor. My mom was going to freak; that was the only thing that reminded her of Dad. Tears sprung to my eyes. That was the only thing that reminded me of Dad. I quickly wiped the tears away.

"Well here," Peter shrugged off his jacket and handed it to me, looking away. I quickly and carefully discarded the cloth and buttoned the jacket up. Since I was so short and he was so tall, the jacket hung to my knees.

"Thanks," I said, alerting Peter that I was done. He glanced back and grinned. Oh my god, he looked so cute with his shirt's first buttons undone.

"Zoe, you have a cut on your arm," Peter said, gesturing towards my arm. He tore a piece of the tablecloth off. I watched his muscles bulge as he tore the fabric. I bit my lip; stop thinking these thoughts, Zoe! Okay, one more peek at his sexy shirt. I studied the shirt hungrily and noticed something out of the blue. Literally out of the blue; something blue was peeking out of his shirt. I leaned forward and pulled Peter's collar aside.

"Zoe, what are you doing?" Peter chuckled nervously.

I ignored him and unbuttoned a few more buttons. He relaxed and allowed me to finish. Under his shirt, I found the infamous suit of Spider-man.

**Ooh, Zoe found out!**


	7. Chapter 6

**I Need a Hero**

**Sorry for the long wait! I just traveled back home (I was visiting relatives for two months) and I had to unpack and get registered for classes. I also had to catch up on missed two months of cello practicing (cello rocks!). **

**And to make up for the long wait, I have three amazing chapters!**

**NOTE; I am taking Algebra I as an eighth grader (I'm 13 and eligible to be on this website; so don't freak), Freshman English (as an eighth grader), Freshman Science (as an eighth grader), and Freshman Social Studies (as an eighth grader). So the updates will be a little slow because of my grueling classes. It's an honor to be in those classes, considering only 90/500 kids were selected to be in the program. **

**Oh, and I'm considering publishing another Peter/OC story I've been writing. It will have nothing to do with this story. But the other story so far has a prologue and I have to say, it's a little more realistic than this one and the romance won't start until….TBA? The name of the new story is Above All.**

**Replies:**

**_Pwny: _****I'll start doing the recap thing! :D Thanks for the input!**

**_CBryant123: _****LOL, here you go! 3 chapters!**

**_CrackYourRein911: _****Thank you; LOL!**

**_Sally Fantastic: _****:D**

**_Duchess of Blueberries: _****Thank you; I'm glad you like it! Wow, you've mastered how Zoe feels! Thank you! :D**

**_Badwolfette21: _****Here you go!**

**Recap:**

**The Lizard attacks the ball Zoe, Panama, and Peter are attending. After an outlandish event occurred to Zoe, Spider-man saves the day in his Spidey way! Zoe finds Peter and discovers the infamous suit of Spider-man underneath.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Spider-man or any books or music mentioned.**

**Chapter 6**

Have you ever gotten that feeling that you knew all along? Like discovering who A was on Pretty Little Liars or who was the killer in a mystery novel?

To make sure it was all real, I slowly raised my eyes towards Peter. Brown met hazel. My instincts took over and I raised my hand to slap him.

He swiftly grabbed it. There was a struggle before I succumbed to his strong grip. As fast as the struggle started, it ended and he kissed me.

The girly part of me shrieked in; my crush was finally kissing me. But the majority of me reminded me that this wasn't the first time he kissed me. He had kissed me as Spider-man last Friday night. He lied to me.

I pushed Peter off of me and fled. Yes, I fled the OSCORP building wearing nothing but a man's coat. Sure, I got a lot of looks, but this was New York for hell's sake.

Peter was Spider-man. That almost made me slap myself. That made sense; Spider-man and Peter had the same characteristics: same funny humor, caring persona, and physique. And their lips felt the same.

I blushed and held a hand to my still tingling lips. Damn that boy; for making me feel this way. I collapsed on my bed and fell asleep, still in Peter's coat.

.-.-

"Sweetie? Oh God, are you okay?" Something cold touched my shoulder and shook me awake.

I groaned and my eyes snapped open. Mom stood above me, her worry lines creased. "Mom?"

"Oh, thank God you're safe!" She sighed and embraced me tightly.

I started to question her when it all came flooding back to me. The party, the attack, the Lizard, the transformation. I glanced at the clock and saw it was just past midnight.

"Mom, are you hurt? Did you get out okay?" I questioned, checking her for injuries. She was still wearing her blue gown, her hair pulled up in a ponytail. She was holding her heels in one hand. No apparent injuries were visible.

"I'm fine, I got out in time. What about you?" She asks.

"I got out," I lied through my gritted teeth. The thought of the Lizard wanting to kill my mom made my blood pressure raise a little. Maybe that's what brought on the transformation; I had to sneak into that lab later.

"What happened to the dress? Whose coat is that?" Mom took notice of my appearance and lack of her wedding dress.

Shit. "Uh, it got ruined in the battle and I stole a jacket from the coat room. Sorry mom," I lamely lied again.

"Oh, it's okay. As long as you're alright. Just pack your bags; we're going on vacation to our cabin in Montauk." Mom handed me a duffel bag. "Just to get away from New York. Pack enough clothes for a week."

"Why only a duffel bag?" I asked, confused. "Why not a suitcase?"

"An old friend of your dad's and mine is joining us with her nephew. And we need a lot of room in the car." Mom responds cheerfully.

"Oh really? Who is it?" I asked, slightly intrigued.

"May and Peter Parker."

My heart dropped to my stomach for two reasons; one, I was going to be in a secluded cabin with Peter Parker for a week, and two, our parents knew each other.

"What?" I asked.

"I thought you two were friends," Mom asked, confused. "And plus, he was in the attack. Poor boy got in the crossfire and has a broken arm and a few bruises."

Yeah, as Spider-man, I fumed. "Fine." I answered and headed to my bathroom to take a shower. "When do we leave and what about school?"

"We leave tomorrow and in case you've forgotten, it's Spring Break. Finish packing by sundown so we can load the car in daylight," Mom commanded and left my room.

I groaned. This was going to be a long week.

.-.-

"We leave in five minutes. Go and get dressed," Mom playfully shoves me away from the delicious breakfast she was making. Bacon, fresh blueberries, pancakes…oh yeah I'll have to run on that trail behind the cabin at least twice.

I ran to my room to get dressed. I quickly dressed in a tank top, flannel shirt, shorts, and Converse. I pulled my long hair into an equally long side braid. It hung over my shoulder and fell to my waist. I brushed my teeth quickly and grabbed my carry-on bag, filled with my favorite books and electronics for the 2 hours and 45 minute drive.

A knock sounded at the door. "Are you ready?" My mom poked her head into my room.

"Yup," I sighed and swung my bag over my shoulder. We locked the door and set the alarm. We ventured down to the garage and piled into our Escalade. Mom calculated the GPS to Queens as I jammed my ear buds in and opened my copy of _Hunger Games. _Some Nights by Fun played from my iPhone as I read the first words of the book. The city was still awake though at 4:30 A.M; this city seemed to never sleep.

After about thirty minutes of driving, music, and reading, we drove up to a little townhouse. Mom set the car in park and turned to face me. "Are you coming in?" She grabbed the bag of breakfast.

I calmly bookmarked the page whilst butterflies in my stomach raged on; I was about to enter the house of the center of my affections for about two weeks. "Sure," I exited the car and followed my mom up the stairs to the townhouse. A few moments after my mom rang the doorbell, a woman with graying hair, but a kind smile answered the door.

"Panama!" She says, hugging her. "I cannot thank you enough for allowing us to come along on your vacation. And hello Zoe! My, have you blossomed! You are beautiful!" May praised, hugging me also.

I blushed. Her nephew thought so too. "Thank you May," I thanked her.

"May, we brought breakfast."

"Oh thank you dear. Zoe, you can go up to Peter's room and how you teens say, chill out! And tell him to come downstairs for breakfast in five!"

I giggled at the term as the two women disappeared into the kitchen. Then it sunk in. Damn, I should have brought my book or something.

Sighing, I began to trudge up the stairs. There were two bedrooms upstairs, but music raged from the one on the left. I begrudgingly knocked and waited. The music decreased and the door swung open.

"Zoe," Peter breathed. True to my mother's words, his face was bruised and his arm was in a cast and sling.

"May sent me up; we're having breakfast in five," I awkwardly answered and stared down at my shoes.

"Oh, okay. Do you want to come in?" Peter opened the door more.

"Peter, we need to talk about last night," I blurted.

"I know," He admitted and walked into his room. I followed and surveyed his room.

Granted, it was like other teenage boys, but this had the 'Peter' spark to it. It had a skateboard collage next to a bed. Posters of his most-liked bands were posted above the bed. A desk was diagonal from the bed and Peter sat in the chair. He tapped quickly on the keyboard of his Mac laptop and a sound shrieked from my right. I quietly hissed and turned to see a lock being screwed into the door. I chuckled. Clever.

Peter switched seats and pulled out the computer chair for me. I timidly sat. He sat on his bed and stared at me.

"Why didn't you just tell me?" I asked.

"Because the last love interest I told was killed," He darkly chuckled as he stared behind me. I turned and saw a picture of him and Gwen.

"Peter, I can take care of myself," I quietly said. I had contemplated last night about telling him about my abilities and right now, my conscience had overruled my judgment.

"No, you can't!" He suddenly shouted. "I don't want you to get hurt like she did!"

"Peter, I won't!" I responded hotly.

"How do you know?" He replied, shaking his head.

"You're not the only person in this city with freaking super abilities!" I blurted. Oops.

His head shot up. "What do you mean super abilities?" He questioned, getting up.

I sighed, getting ready to reveal myself. "I—"

"Guys! It's time for breakfast!" Someone from outside the door called. Peter reached over, grabbed his laptop, and pulled up a grainy image of my mom walking back downstairs. Seriously, a camera? Peter unlocked the door.

"Coming," I called as I stood up. As I stood up, I noticed my hands had changed. My fingernails were longer and thicker. In shock, I realized that they were claws. I quickly covered my hands with my shirt and asked, "Where's your bathroom?"

He silently opened the door and pointed down the hall. I casually walked into the bathroom and revealed my claws. They were pointed and thick, ready to kill at any given second. I noticed I was tense and relaxed. The claws retracted and I sighed. When I was arguing with Peter, I must have gotten angry and my claws appeared. Maybe it was my blood pressure….

I ran a hand through my braid and sighed. I exited the bathroom to find Peter's bedroom light off. I walked downstairs and saw the group gathered in the kitchen.

"There she is!" Mom greeted with a smile. I somehow forced one on.

"Here I am," I weakly answered as I sat next to Peter.

I felt Peter staring a hole into the side of my head as I looked down. My mom set a plate of pancakes, bacon, and fresh fruit in front of me. I thanked her and began to eat.

After about ten minutes, we're all finished. I volunteered to do the dishes, just to get away from Peter whilst he packed the car with his and May's duffels.

"So…you and Peter seem to have something going on between you," Mom smirked as she packed up the remains of the breakfast behind me.

I blushed; thank god she couldn't see me. "Nope, just friends."

"Yeah, and I'm Babe Ruth," Mom chuckled.

"Well, you do pack a mean swing in baseball," I laughed as I finished the dishes. Mom swung an arm around my shoulder as we walked out of the kitchen and in the living room. We exited the house, May claiming to use the bathroom one last time and lock the door. Peter was already in the car. I stopped in my tracks.

"Wait, he's in the back with me?" I lamely asked.

Mom chuckled. "No, he's going to ride on the roof. I thought nothing was going on—"

"It's fine," I curtly answered and opened the door. I climbed inside and slammed the door. Again, I felt his stare on me. "Can you please stop burning a hole into my head?" I asked, annoyed. I didn't wait for his respond, but jammed my ear buds into my ears and played Stereo Hearts by Gym Class Heroes. I grabbed my book and continued reading. Suddenly, I felt for Katniss whenever she kind of despised Peeta.

.-.-

I was listening to Airplanes by B.o.B and Hayley Williams and the last page of _Hunger Games _when my ear bud was suddenly pulled out of my ear.

I glared at the culprit, Peter. "What? And thanks for ripping my ear bud out," I grumbled. "And what happened to your arm? I thought it was broken?" I questioned his lack of cast and sling.

He ignored the comment and pointed to a departing Panama and May. "We stopped for gas. Can you please tell me what you meant? Back at the house."

"I can't tell you," My tone and face softened. "But I can show you when we get to Montauk," I promised.

"Does it have anything to do with Dr. Curt Connors?" He asked, grinding his teeth audibly.

"Not really," I admitted.

He visibly relaxed. Then I realized he didn't have anything to keep him busy. "Peter, you didn't bring any books or music?" I asked.

"Nope, I forgot," He chuckled.

I pulled an iPod and ear buds out of my bag. "Here; my old iPod. There're a few audiobooks on there, along with some TV episodes and music," I smiled at him, my first real smile at anyone finally appearing.

"Thanks Zoe," He cautiously took the iPod. I don't blame him; just a minute ago, I was acting like a true bitch to him and now I was the sweetest person ever. Apparently, a side effect to the bottle thingy was mood swings.

"No problem," I grinned and went right back to my book's epic conclusion.

.-.-

**Okay, next chapter, they arrive at Montauk!**

**And the mood swing part is important too. Oh, and Peter discovers Zoe's secret in the next few chapters.**


	8. Chapter 7

**I Need a Hero**

**Disclaimer: Do I look like Stan Lee?**

**Chapter 7**

Something during the time I was reading the second chapter of Catching Fire and listening _The Fighter_ by Gym Class Heroes and Ryan Tedder, I dozed off. The last thing I saw were trees, trees, guess what; more trees.

.-.-

Laughing, that was all I heard when I woke up. It had snapped me out of my dream. I blinked my droopy eyes and found everyone staring at me.

"What happened?" I asked; my voice still heavy with sleep.

"Well, we're here and you were just purring in your sleep," Mom giggled and put the car in park. She handed me the key.

I blushed. Perhaps another side effect was _actually _sleeping like a cat…..

Instead, I exited the car and stared at my childhood summer house; the Montauk Cabin. I shivered; the weather was about 55 degrees; and that was the high. Damn cabin. Well, cabin was an understatement. It was three stories high, an ornate exterior, complete with gardens, bike trails and running trails leading out into the forest, a pool center, and a garage in the back. The windows were glistening, as if they were recently washed. The red door was polished, the brass knob shining.

I grabbed my bags and set every else's bags on the ground. I darted to the door and unlocked it. I walked in and disarmed the alarm. I padded up the carpeted stairs into the second level. I ran into my room and sat my bags down on the ground.

My room still looked the same from two summers ago: light blue walls, a gray bed set, French balcony doors leading out to a porch with a view of the ocean, a flat screen TV, and walk-in closet. I quickly unpacked in the closet and changed into warmer clothing; tank top, flannel shirt, and shorts weren't good choices for the cold weather. I changed into a pair of form fitting jeans, a long sleeved shirt, boots, a beret, and a simple silver necklace. Yes, a beret. What; it tied the outfit together! My fashion choices were diverse! I tied my hair into a ponytail with a silver band.

I sauntered downstairs to find everyone else eating sandwiches.

I chuckled. "Are you serious? You didn't even unpack and you're already eating? And where did we get food; I thought we forgot it and I was going out to get some."

Mom swallowed before replying. "Well, not everyone can be as marvelous as you. And you're right; I did forget food. But I called Edwin and Riley and they restocked and cleaned for us. How great is that? I can't believe they still live here."

"And who are Edwin and Riley?" I asked, grabbing an apple and chomping into it.

"Don't you remember? You and Riley used to date!" Mom chirped.

My eyes widened as I spit out parts of my chewed apple. Peter also regurgitated what he was eating.

"Date? I don't remember dating a Riley," I remarked. The doorbell chimed as I headed towards the door.

"Sure you do! You were fourteen and Edwin used to drop you and Riley off at the bowling alley here in Montauk during the summer. You kept on dropping the ball and Riley played terribly to make you feel better."

"I don't remember dating a Riley," I shouted and opened the door.

A boy was there. No, man. No, god. Oh yes, he was a god. His sun kissed blonde hair was flopped into his sweet blue eyes. His tanned skin gleamed with his bright white teeth. His long sleeved tee covered his arm muscles but an eight pack was visible through the flimsy top. He was wearing jeans that—urgh. Stop looking down!

"Hey!" He called.

"Hey," I dreamily sighed.

"Hey." An unknown voice butted in. I turned and saw Peter standing behind me.

"Zoe, hi! It's so good to see you!" He stepped in and tightly hugged me. "It's me, Riley!" He began to swing me around.

Oh suddenly, I remembered dating a Riley.

I glanced behind me and saw Peter staring at us, his arms crossed over his chest, glaring at both of us. Oh no, this wasn't going to be a good trip after all….

.-.-

"So Mr. President and Oprah were reviewing my book and Obama gave it two thumbs up and Oprah selected it for her magazine! 500,000 copies were sold worldwide already," Riley drawled, sipping some of Mom's expensive wine. "And it just came out two weeks ago."

I laughed and clapped, reaching for my flute of white wine and taking a sip. Peter sarcastically snorted as I sent a warning glance towards his direction. He had been acting weird ever since Riley had appeared.

"You okay, Peter?" I questioned, raising my eyebrow.

"Yeah, just…" He didn't complete his sentence, before Riley interrupted.

"Oh, Zoe, we should go to the bowling alley. See if you brushed up on your bowling skills," He winked.

I chuckled nervously. "How about all of us go? I mean, we should all have a night out in town."

"We can't dear. I already promised May a tour and shopping spree in the outdoor mall," Mom declined, grinning at me.

Way to leave me in a tough spot Mom!

"Well, it'll just have to be the three of us, right Peter?" I turned to Peter, almost glaring a hole into his head.

He glanced back at me, surprised. I nodded at him.

Please say yes, please say yes….

"Alright," Peter answered.

"Great," Riley's eyes narrowed. "Tomorrow night at 6?"

.-.-

A knock sounded at my door.

"Come in," I answered, turning the page of my book. It was about 10 P.M., and I was dressed for the night in a short tank top and shorts. I didn't think I would have to cover up, since my mom was the only one that usually visits me. But I was dearly mistaken.

Peter poked his head in and blushed. I immediately grabbed a robe and slid it on. "Peter, what are you doing here?" I cleared my throat.

"Um, you said you had something to show me about…your abilities when we got here," Peter scratched the back of his neck.

"Um, yeah. How about tomorrow morning at 6? I was going to go for a run anyways. What should happen should be done outdoors," I nervously grinned. "And how's your arm?"

"It's okay; my arm doesn't throb anymore and Aunt May let me take my sling off. Um….Zoe? About that Riley guy….." He just glanced down.

It _finally_ dawned on me. Oh god, he was jealous.

"It's nothing. I barely remember him; I don't like him," I awkwardly blurted, blushing.

"Zoe, he's a normal guy. No baggage or secrets to hold him down or…." He didn't finish his sentence and just glanced down again.

"Why would I go for a guy I barely knew and remember? Why not go for the guy that saved me about a million times as a masked hero, saved me about a zillion times as a sweet guy, took me on a sweet date last Friday, and kissed me thousands of times, all of them ending with me running away?" I chuckled, embarrassed.

Peter's head shot up. "You mean…"

"Yes, I mean you. No go and get some sleep, Spidey. We have a big day tomorrow," I gently pushed him towards the door. I closed it behind me, a smile playing at the corner of my lips.


	9. Chapter 8

**I Need a Hero**

**Disclaimer: Do I look like Stan Lee?**

**Chapter 8**

_5:30 A.M._

My alarm went off. Since I had a rough night and was lying sideways on the bed, I used my foot to shut it up and accidently destroyed it. Stupid strong foot.

I stumbled to the bathroom and began to get rid of my terrible morning breath. Then it hit me.

I was going jogging with a freaking superhero. That I was possibly in love with.

What were the odds?

I smiled and finished brushing my teeth. I washed up and got changed into a tank top, sweatshirt, Nikes, and spandex running pants. I pulled my hair up in a ponytail, and then wrapped it into a bun on top of my head.

I grabbed a small bag, the handle small enough to fit on my wrist, and folded underclothes, a pair of leggings, a long sleeved tunic, and another pair of sneakers in it. I retrieved an enclosed bag from my luggage and quickly packed it into the bag. By then, it was about 6 so I jogged downstairs. On the second flight, I glanced around to make sure no one was looking. I climbed on the banister and dropped two floors. I landed on my feet softly, without a sound.

I whistled the tune of 'Moves like Jagger' as I made my way to the kitchen. I grabbed two water bottles from the fridge and set them on the counter. When I closed the fridge, Peter was behind the fridge.

Even though my heart was racing (because of the proximity between us, not the shock), I maintained my posture. "Hey," I grinned and tossed a water bottle at him, which he, of course, caught confidently. "Ready?" I glanced at his attire; jogging pants, a vintage band t-shirt, and Nikes. I blushed.

"Sure. Where are we going?" He asked as I grabbed the key to the cabin and closed and locked the door.

"On our trail," I answered, pointing towards the woods and the gravel covered trail. A sign warned that it was a private trail.

"You have your own trail?" He asked, gob smacked.

"Well, when you have a mother that cooks like a world class chef, you have to run some of the weight off in peace somewhere," I grinned. "It's 52 miles and sometimes I run the entire length."

He murmured something that I didn't catch, but I didn't question it. "You ready?" I smiled and began to run.

Like the last time I ran, everything became a blur and I was traveling at the speed of a cheetah. Once, I tripped, but somehow did a front handspring and continued speeding.

I was sure I was at least at the 22 mile mark when something shot forward and snatched at my waist. I was propelled backwards and fell into strong arms. I was twisted around.

Peter stared into my eyes. "How did you do that?"

"What?" I breathed.

"You were running so fast, I had to swing on the trees to keep up with you," He explained. "Zoe, that's not normal. What's going on?"

I slipped the little bag off of my wrist and tossed it to him. "Hold this and please…try not to freak out."

He nodded sharply.

I took a deep breath and tried to force myself to change into the alter ego. I thought about how the Lizard wanted my mother and wanted hers and my blood to spill. My claws emerged painfully as I dropped to the ground. My clothes began to rip as my fangs cut into my bottom lip. I snarled as my mane grew and the last of my humanity disappeared when my eyes glowed golden. I turned around and snarled at Peter.

His eyes were wide and unblinking. He looked as if he was frozen. Something rumbled inside of me. Something that wasn't me unsheathed its fangs and began to leap for human blood. I realized it was the cold, animal hunter inside of me. I paused and began to pace, my inhuman paws slapping the gravel pavement.

"Zoe, what happened?" He asked.

I pointed to the bag in his hands. He got the clue and tossed it to me. I cut through it with a swipe of a claw and pulled out the enclosed bag. I nudged it with my nose towards Peter. I grabbed the bag of clothes and disappeared behind a tree. I focused on the last shard of humanity inside of me and forced it to appear. Then I was back to my usual self. I glanced around the tree as I began to get dressed.

He retrieved the bag and opened it. Peter pulled out the bottle from the secret lab and the folder I retrieved from the desk before I left home. His eyes widened when he saw something on the cover of the folder.

"This….Zoe, this is the same formula that was injected into the spider that bit me….and it's dated back to 2000."

That was around the time my father disappeared; I was six. I appeared from behind the tree, fully clothed. "My father disappeared when I was six and was killed in a plane crash."

But it was what Peter next said that quickened my heart rate. "So did my dad and mom."

"My mom said she knew May for a long time…maybe before 2000?" I figured.

"There was a secret operation involving my father, Richard Parker. Maybe your dad was involved?"

"So that's what 'RP' meant. But why didn't my mom disappear along with my dad? She was surely involved; she probably built the secret lab in the library," I questioned.

"What secret lab?"

"I'll show you when we get back. But why didn't my mom disappear?" I asked, studying the folder.

"Was your mom involved in OSCORP operations?" Peter asked.

"No; she just became director last year. She was just working as biotic scientist with Reed Richards and Ben Grimm when my father was—" My eyes widened. That's why! "My father! He was the director of OSCORP in 2000. When he was killed, Dr. Curt took over. Then my mom took over from him when he went to jail. Curtis probably didn't know my mom was involved, but now knows due to her position at OSCORP."

"My father worked at OSCORP, alongside Dr. Curt and possibly your father. This is a part of something bigger than just a secret operation, but it was for." Peter figured.

"Maybe some company OSCORP was involved in….or?" The thought faded as I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Or someone very pivotal to OSCORP," Peter chuckled.

"Norman Osborn?" I asked.

"I don't know. It seems kind of farfetched."

"No, wasn't Norman Osborn diagnosed with some kind of disease? And now, he's suddenly cured." I thought. I remembered something from a few weeks ago.

_Flashback:_

_"Sir, I don't have it." She replied into the phone in her thick African accent. Her thick dark hair flowed down her back like mine. Her cocoa skin matched her hair perfectly. "Sir, I'll try my best."_

_I heard someone scream through the phone, "Panama Anderson!"_

_"Sir, my daughter's here," She calmly said through the phone. A second later, she was off the phone._

Maybe that was Osborn on the phone, requesting something. "Did Curt have anything to do with Osborn?" I asked.

"Yeah, he was brought to OSCORP to basically cure Osborn and himself." Peter answered, still studying the folder.

"Maybe when Curt gave Osborn what he thought was the right antidote, Osborn had some serious side effects and requested my mom find a cure to whatever happened," I thought.

Peter stopped reading the folder. "That makes sense. You're really smart, Zoe."

I chuckled. "No, I'm just logical." I glanced at the time. 8 A.M. "We should probably get back," I sighed, gathering the materials into the bag. I attached it to my wrist and prepared to run.

Peter cleared his throat. "Would you rather run back or take the fun way back?" Something sliced through the air from his wrist and caught onto a tree branch. It was a web.

I grinned as I stepped towards him and nodded. He grabbed at my waist as we both blushed madly. He took a leap and we were off, racing towards…home.


End file.
